Harnessing Nature’s Power: How Coconut Oil, Arnica, Menthol, and More Naturally Sooth Tired Muscles

October 22, 2026 Jordan Taylor

No matter if you’re recovering from an intense workout, a long surf session, or a demanding day, muscle soreness can leave your body needing extra care. A natural muscle salve can provide soothing comfort while helping moisturize and protect the skin. In this blog, we’ll explore the ingredients in SUMUD’s muscle salve and the benefits of harnessing nature’s power to help with recovery.

Arnica: A Traditional Botanical for Body Care

Arnica has been used traditionally in topical body care products for its soothing properties. It’s a popular botanical for people looking to care for tired muscles and areas of everyday soreness. Arnica offers:

Soothing Support: Arnica helps create a calming, comforting experience during recovery
Post Activity Care: It is often included in topical formulas designed for use after exercise and physical activity
Botanical Benefits: Arnica adds the power of nature to a salve made for hardworking bodies

Arnica allows for gentle and comforting care when your muscles feel most tired.

Menthol: Nature’s Refreshing Cool

Menthol brings a crisp, cooling sensation to SUNMUD’s muscle salve, making it the perfect addition to the steps to recovery. Menthol gives:

Cooling Sensation: Menthol creates a refreshing feeling when applied to your skin
Refreshing Ritual: Its naturally crisp aroma and cooling touch make massage feel revitalizing
Post Activity Comfort: Menthol helps turn a simple massage into a soothing moment after a long day

Gently rubbing a small amount onto clean, intact skin and allow the refreshing sensation to settle in.

St. John’s Wort: A Calming Herbal Touch

St. John’s Wort is a botanical known for its use in natural skin care. In a muscle salve, it complements the nourishing oils and refreshing ingredients with a gentle herbal touch. This wort truly does the work of a witch, giving:

Skin Soothing Care: St. John’s Wort helps support a calm and comfortable feeling on the skin
Botanical Nourishment: It adds another plant based ingredient to the salve’s naturally inspired formula
Relaxing Massage: Combined with the oils and butter of nature, it helps create a soothing self care ritual.

Use the salve as a part of your evening routine, after a long day, or whenever your body needs a moment of relaxation

Coconut Oil: Nature’s Nourishing Moisturizer

Coconut Oil is a deeply nourishing ingredient that helps moisturize and soften the skin while you massage your muscles. It helps with:

Skin Nourishment: Coconut oil helps replenish moisture, leaving the skin feeling soft and conditioned
Smooth Application: Its rich texture allows the salve to glide easily across your skin

Massage a small amount of a coconut oil based salve into the areas where muscles need the extra care to flourish the next day.

Castor Oil, Shea Butter, and Olive Oil: Nourishing Oil and Butter Blend

Castor oil, shea butter, and olive oil all work in tandem to create a rich, moisturizing foundation for the salve. With this combination of nature’s oils and butter, it allows:

Deep Moisture: Shea butter helps soften dry skin and provides a comforting layer of nourishment
Skin conditioning: Olive Oil’s rich properties help keep your skin smooth
Long Lasting Application: Castor oil adds a naturally thick texture to the salve, helping it stay where it’s applied
Massage Support: Together, these ingredients allow the salve to spread smoothly while you massage the areas that are most exhausted

This combination makes the salve especially helpful after outdoor adventures, workdays, or a tiring leg day at the gym. It helps ease the recovery process naturally.

The SUNMUD Difference

The SUNMUD Muscle Salve combines all the nourishing ingredients above, as well as using more of nature’s resources by combining beeswax, cajuput, and camphor to create a soothing salve. Each ingredient has a purpose, creating a rich salve designed to moisturize the skin while providing a cooling, invigorating massage experience.

From your shoulders, knees, arms, and feet, SUNMUD’s muscle salve is a natural way to care for your body after all the hard work you put it through. Massage it on clean, intact skin and enjoy the power of nature.